Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) are low-energy, time-varying magnetic fields that are used to treat therapeutically resistant problems of the musculoskeletal system. Those problems include spinal fusion, ununited fractures, failed arthrodeses, osteonecrosis, and chronic refractory tendonitis, decubitus ulcers and ligament, tendon injuries, osteoporosis, and Charcot foot.
The specific problem to which the invention is directed is an improved PEMF spinal stimulation system for providing PEMF therapeutic stimulation to the cervical (neck) area of the spinal column undergoing fusion or other repair (such as treatment to salvage a failed fusion).
For cervical PEMF therapy, an electromagnetic transducer coil is placed in back of the patient's neck such that pulsing the transducer produces an applied or driving field that penetrates to the cervical spine. The conventional approach has been to attach to a cervical collar an oval shaped transducer coil for positioning on the back of the neck. This approach is disadvantageous in that the electromagnetic field is significantly nonuniform, and that the transducer coil does not cover (and therefore the electric field does not penetrate) below the vertebrae at the bottom of the neck.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved PEMF system that provides a more uniform field to the target area, such as the cervical spine.